The Different Areas of Law: Specialities in the Profession
There are many different types of lawyers. To begin, we may divide the term “lawyer” into two categories: barrister and solicitor. These are two quite distinct careers, and each law student should learn a little about both law programmes before deciding on a career route. Aside from that, there are other areas of law to specialise in, ranging from the more well-known criminal lawyer to the more specialised (think marine and sports law!). There are different pathways to becoming a lawyer – the traditional route of law school involving an application process including possible taking the LNAT and writing a law personal statement. Or there is the training route where you train in-house to become a lawyer.
This blog seeks to provide you with an overview of the many types of lawyers and the various specialities that may be available to you. You’ll find a recommendation button within each specialism that will assist you to decide which specialisation could be best for you based on your favourite legal modules, hobbies, and the like.
The Various Types of Lawyers
Becoming a Commercial Lawyer or Solicitor
Solicitors work closely with clients, organising and completing legal work prior to going to court. A solicitor’s duties may include listening to a client’s concerns and gathering the necessary information in order to offer legal advice. Solicitors not only create and distribute legal papers, but they may also provide advocacy services.
Recommendation
If the thought of working as part of a legal team in a large office for a large company excites you, then becoming an attorney is the appropriate option for you. It’s also a wonderful option if you have strong interpersonal skills and want to work directly with customers and individuals. Finally, if you like the client-facing, in-office aspect of law rather than discussing and litigating in high courts, being a solicitor may be the appropriate option for you.
Becoming a Court Lawyer – A Barrister
Barristers are lawyers who represent clients in court. They will present and defend the case on behalf of their client, usually wearing a wig. Barristers work in chambers on their own. They will be assigned matters to work on and represent in court through the chamber. Barristers may specialise in a particular field of law, and part of their job may entail providing legal advice in the form of written documents and negotiations.
Recommendations to keep in mind
If you appreciate the intellectual study of law, becoming a barrister may be the appropriate path for you. Drafting an essay is similar to writing a client’s ‘opinion’ on your speciality field of law.
If you want to go to court and fight on behalf of your client, being a barrister may be the finest option. Maybe you’re a natural public speaker or a skilled debater. As a barrister, you’ll be able to put these abilities to work.
Different Areas of Law and Specialities
There are many different types of law specialities, and this is by no means an exhaustive list. Whether you have a specific interest or pastime, you should conduct your own study to determine if it is something you may incorporate into your legal profession. This list seeks to provide you with an overview of some of the most well-known and less well-known disciplines of law.
– Becoming a Criminal lawyer
When you hear the term “lawyer,” this is probably the first thing that comes to mind. Criminal attorneys may be employed by the government or by the Crown Prosecution Service. As a criminal lawyer, your profession includes defending alleged offenders against criminal charges. This may be a fun and interesting job.
Recommendation: If you enjoy the criminal law module and want a position where your work has significant personal ramifications, a career as a criminal lawyer could be ideal for you.
– Becoming a Corporate lawyer
A corporate lawyer works in the field of business, defending lawsuits on behalf of businesses, drafting legal papers, and negotiating commercial agreements.
Recommendation: If you’re interested in working in a lucrative and competitive industry, this is the field for you. Perhaps you studied business/economics in college and want to combine your legal profession with a job in business.
– Becoming an International lawyer
International attorneys’ work encompasses a wide range of legal regulations from other nations, as well as work on international relations between countries with diverse legal systems.
Recommendation: Because politics and international law are linked, this is an excellent legal specialisation for someone interested in politics. This might also be a good option for a four-year law student who wants to spend a year abroad. A year abroad will give you language skills as well as an understanding of the legal system of another country.
– Becoming a Sports lawyer
Players/athletes, coaches, teams, and organizations/clubs are all represented by sports attorneys. For example, sports attorneys may lead legal talks between sports clubs/boards and the media in order to get media rights.
Recommendation: If you enjoy sports, sports law is a great method to combine your pastime with your profession. You will get the opportunity to interact with sports clubs and sportsmen. This might also be a good fit for someone who wants a lot of client touch in their job.
– Becoming Medical negligence lawyer
Negligence occurs when a party fails to meet the standard of care that is expected of them. A failure to provide proper medical care for a patient might be considered medical negligence. A medical malpractice lawyer’s job is to demonstrate medical negligence and successfully prove the case so that the victim might get compensation.
Recommendation: This is essential work that will appeal to anybody who wants to feel like their legal work matters (in this case providing redress for people who have suffered mistreatment).
– Becoming an Environmental lawyer
The use of the environment is governed by environmental law, and an environmental lawyer’s job is to advise clients on their legal rights to utilise the environment. You may be able to deal with large organisations as well as provide advice on smaller initiatives.
Recommendation: If you are a proponent of environmental sustainability, you might love this book. Perhaps you might focus your efforts on topics that interest you, such as the utilisation of renewable energy.
– Becoming a Family lawyer
A family lawyer deals with legal difficulties that arise in the family. A family lawyer’s most typical duty is dealing with divorce settlements, although other jobs include guardianship and abuse cases.
Recommendation: If you believe you have the sensitivity to cope with tough and perhaps emotionally unpleasant circumstances, family law may be for you. It will be crucial to be helpful in this capacity, since it may demand some thoughtful and challenging talks with clients. This may be the job for you if you have an empathetic and pleasant personality.
Areas of Law: Conclusion
Law covers a wide range of professions and specialities. There is no expectation that a law student would know exactly where they want to go right away, and it’s possible that you’ll end up in areas of law you hadn’t considered before! This guide, on the other hand, should offer you an idea of what a lawyer does in their job and send you in the direction of some topics to investigate depending on your interests and talents. If you are studying for the LNAT, our expert LNAT tutors are on hand to support you.
